Tag: abortion policies

My position on reproductive rights is simple: rare, safe and legal; in that order.

For me, that’s the short answer when talking about reproductive rights. But there is so much more to this issue than soundbites like that. To be clear, I firmly believe that there is no room for the government between a woman and her doctor. But let me explain the breadth of my position before one jumps to a conclusion.

The way I see it, any time a woman has an abortion, we have all failed. We have failed to provide comprehensive sex education. We have failed to provide adequate access to contraception. We have failed to protect the woman from rape, sexual abuse, or medical complications that endanger her life. And we have failed to have adequate alternative options for the child. Abortion is the symptom of our failures, and we have to address the underlying issues that lead to abortion, so that we make it a rare occurrence. We have to protect the medical professionals that perform this procedure to make sure that it can be done safely. Finally, and most importantly, we have to protect a woman’s right to choose what is best for her body. Creating and implementing effective strategies to cease these failures are one of my goals in running for the North Carolina House District 13 Seat.

How do we reduce the rate of abortions? Eliminate the need. To do that, we must:

Strengthen the protections for women suffering under abuse of any kind.

Expand the adoption system so that any qualified, capable person is able to adopt and provide a loving home for these children.

Mandate that access to adoption is available to all people, regardless of their sexual orientation, and that their parental rights are legally recognized.

We can work together to solve the real issues that lead to the need for abortion procedures, and when we do, we will see the rate reduced. Then we can truly have them be rare, safe and legal. However, the decision for abortion needs to remain a decision for the woman and her doctor only. I dream of a time when we can all focus on eliminating the need, instead of arguing about the outcome. When we work together, WE CAN’T FAIL.